Woman returns painting to restaurant after footage of the theft was posted to Facebook

Walking with a cane in 3-inch heels, a woman makes off with a restaurant’s painting under her arm. (Photo: Bob Faraglia via Facebook)

It looks as though we have a regular Vincenzo Peruggia on our hands. In 1911, the former museum worker hid in the Louvre over the weekend, slipped the Mona Lisa under his smock, and strolled out. For two years, he admired Mona Lisa in the comfort of his own home — then he was caught while trying to sell the famous painting to a gallery owner in Italy.

This modern story is not much different. After all, if we do not learn from the past, then we are doomed to repeat it.

A customer at Roberto’s Italian Ristorante in Youngstown, Ohio, was captured on security cameras wearing 3-inch heels, walking with a cane, and strolling out of the eatery with a painting tucked under her arm.

And she would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling Facebook users.

The woman had allegedly snatched the painting straight off of the wall. A server, Andrew Hallof, told WKBN, “The painting was bagged and then just taken away.”

The owners shared several posts about the theft on their Facebook in the hopes that the alleged thief would be identified and the painting would be returned. The painting holds sentimental value, as it was painted for the owners when they originally opened the restaurant.

Savvy armchair detectives tracked down the alleged perp. The owners then got in touch with her and asked her to return the precious piece of art.

“She said she was supposed to bring it back [Sunday]. Apparently, it was a big misunderstanding,” Hallof said.

The painting was returned, but the alleged artnapper refused to explain her actions.